I Went On, and Came Back
by ThePotterGeek
Summary: Rose moves on, engaged to a man named Calvert. Sounds like the real story, right? WRONG! Read to find out why. Completed!
1. Engaged!

This story has been sitting in my FFN notebook for AGES, and I finally got to it! Yay!

**Summary: Rose goes on, and meets this guy Calvert, right? Who, in the movie, she marries. I know what you're thinking; what did I change? Well, um… ****Jack's alive.**

**Alter-Ego (aka Weird): NOOOOOOO, we had no idea!**

**Shut up! Gosh please! Lemme actually start this thing!**

**I own absolutely nothing. Get over it. **

The italics are flashbacks. Just so you know. Cuz there will be many of those and I don't wanna have to write it over and over…

"_You must do me this honor. Promise me that you'll survive… that you'll never give up… no matter what happens… no matter how… hopeless… promise me now, Rose. And never let go of that promise."_

"_I promise."_

"_Never let go."_

"_I'll never let go, Jack. I'll never let go."_

Nearly a year afterward, Rose Dawson had finally rebuilt her life. She had a home, a job, friends, a boyfriend. A day never went by when Rose didn't remember Jack, and deep in her heart she would love him; but when around Dean Calvert, Jack seemed so unreal. Dean had pulled her out of her hole.

A month after the sinking, she had gone into a café and sat next to him at the bar. He asked her out a week later.

Today was April 14, 1913, and Rose was getting ready to go out with him. There was a knock at her door, and knowing it was Dean, she called, "I'll be right there!", took one last look in the mirror, and answered the door.

He was there, in all his twenty one year old glory. Coppery hair fell into intelligent brown eyes, giving his smiling, lean face a mysterious look. After kissing her in greeting, he took her hand, and they left her apartment.

They had dinner and went strolling through the streets of New York. Staring up at all the lights of the city, she barely noticed where they were going until Dean stopped her; they were in Central Park. Dean took out a ring and knelt. "Rose Dawson, will you marry me?"

"_Whew. I'm Jack Dawson."_

Jack's face passed from her vision, and all she saw was Dean. "Yes!" she replied, grinning. Dean slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her hard. A little over a year before that wouldn't have been acceptable to her; Jack had changed that. Yet Jack didn't appear in her thoughts, just, _I love doing things the unconventional way._

She and Dean began to walk back to his apartment. When they arrived there, Dean kissed her good-night, and left.

Rose resumed her walk alone. Living in New York City for a year let her know the streets pretty well; she was able to walk and think at the same time. Engaged and happy about it; that's something she couldn't say a year ago. Wow.

Just then, she saw Jack's face across the street. No, it couldn't be. It had to be a hallucination, an illusion. Jack was dead. Had holograms existed back then she would have thought he was one. Her whole body filled with a hot emotion, and Rose was too confused to figure out what it was.

The image of Jack turned to look at her; confusion filled its eyes, then amazement. It started to make its way toward her, but she didn't watch it any longer; she turned and ran, not stopping until she was in her apartment. Heart still beating quite fast, she changed and looked at the clock: it was 2 a.m., yes she wasn't tired at all. She picked up the newspaper that she had neglected that day for the very reason of avoiding something that may have to do with the sinking. Sure enough, there was a mention of it at the side, almost like a eulogy: _A year ago tonight, the _Titanic_ sank into the Atlantic, killing 1500 people. Today we remember them._

Titanic… the sinking… Jack… it all came rushing back to her in the form of very painful memories. The very fact that she had seen his form meant she was still thinking about him. Yet she couldn't still love him; she loved Dean.

Did she really? Was she really lying to herself the same way she lied to Jack a year before? Was she stepping into the same trap her mother laid for her when she accepted Cal's proposal for her?

No way, she had chosen this herself. Yet she needed to think about it. Engaged was a hard thing to get out of; marriage even harder. But if she told him they couldn't get married, and she realized she still loved him, it was hard to get back into. Everything depended on how she felt. Such a change had come over her. Before, she had had no hesitation; now, she wasn't even sure if she still loved him.

There was a knock at the door. Rose went to answer it, mind so preoccupied that it didn't even dawn on her that it was 2:30 and no one should be visiting anyone else now. She turned the knob, and Jack was on the other side.


	2. Jack

**Hi. Nothing here. Italics are flashbacks.**

**I own nothing. Don't shoot me. At least, don't sue me. If you kill me, I'd die with the reputation of being creepy, weird, insane, and messed up, but no one would accuse me of stealing!**

"No," Rose said, shaking her head, "This is absurd. You're dead. You've been dead for a year. You froze, you-"

Jack grabbed her shoulders. "Rose, I'm alive. It's ok." He leaned in to kiss her, and she almost let him, but despite the doubt that was growing in her mind about Dean, those doubts were not founded on still loving Jack. Backing away, she held out her hand so he could see the ring. She may be giving him false evidence, but for now, she was going to marry Dean. He brought it closer to his face so he could see it better.

"_God, look at that thing. You wouldda gone straight to the bottom."_

Rose felt heat travel up her arm like then, but she refused to accept that she might still love him.

"His name is Dean Calvert," she informed him, "He proposed to me a few hours ago. I said yes. You told me to go on and now I have. I'm marrying him."

Not saying that she loved Dean was risky. It may lead to questions similar to the ones he asked about her relationship with Cal, and she wouldn't be able to get around those. Not even she was sure.

Thankfully, he remained silent. She sounded sure of herself, not like she was trying to get away from him. Now she was making he own choices, and as much as they hurt him, they made him proud of her; she was fighting the person she had been under the iron grip of first-class society.

"Well, then, there's not much for me to do here. Bye, Rose."

He was leaving? He comes in and shocks the hell out of her for simply being there, and doesn't offer explanation? "Can't you stay?" Knowing the answer, she got ready to be disappointed.

He smiled sadly. "No, Rose. I couldn't stay." As he was about to turn around, he turned back and kissed her with no warning at all. It was quick; Rose didn't have time to register what was going on before he pulled away. "Sorry," he said, "I'll always love you. Know that."

Too stunned to say much, she nodded. "Where will you be?"

"Around. I dunno where."

"Do you have money?"

"Rose, I don't want your money-"

Paying no heed to him, she went to her wallet and took out what she had. She'd go to the bank tomorrow. "It's all I can do. I mean, you saved my life one hundred times over. I also apologize for hurting you; I don't want to. It's just, I'm engaged, I want to marry him, not you anymore. I'm so sorry."

Now it was his turn to be shocked into silence. "I understand. But I can get by without your help; I don't need you money. I barely want it."

"Please take it," she said, "I don't want you to have to live like that. I know you like living on the edge, but at least with this you won't starve." Not giving him time to answer, she stuffed the money into his hand. "There," she said decidedly, "It's yours, and I will not take it back."

Jack grinned at that.

"What?"

"You're in control of you own life."

And with that, he left the apartment, closing the door behind him. A confused Rose sat down on her sofa. Her heart was beating faster than normal, and she felt hot; a way she hadn't felt in a year.

Dean came by the next day, and Rose almost didn't answer the door. Then she thought, _I need to tell him sometime._ Just in time, she opened the door.

"Hey, Rose," he said.

"Hi."

There was a short silence, but it was agonizing for Rose. Neither of them knew what to say, until Rose couldn't tae it anymore.

"Listen, Dean, I-"

Could she say it? Ruin his happiness?

"For now, I'm sorry, but I can't marry you. Not yet."

Dean looked like he had been slapped in the face. "What? Why?"

"I've been thinking, and I don't know if I want to do this. Not now. I'm too young." Liar. Last year she would have said yes to Jack, and she wasn't even overage!

He understood, and nodded slowly. "I'll let you know," she said, taking off the ring and handing it to him, "keep it handy." Smiling slightly, he turned to leave.

"I'll see you around, Rose."

"Yeah, for sure."

And with that, he left Rose alone and feeling quite terrible. She had just refused a man she had readily said yes to only seven hours before. Things change so fast. Like on _Titanic_.

So did you like? Tell me, I don't think I've gotten reviews on this story! I'm sorry the chappies are so short, but this is a short story. Only a few more updates. Bye!

**Arnold **


	3. Control is Sweet

I think this is the fastest I've ever gotten a story out… maybe not. I dunno. Whatever. But I'm still proud of myself. Yay! Reminder: _Italics are memories._ 'Cept for those, right there.

**I own the movie. 3 disc special edition. A collector's item. Yet I still don't own anything, and until I take over the world, I'm stuck writing on ffn. **

…

**Oh, crap, you weren't supposed to know about that.**

**---**

Rose was exhausted. Considering she had been up until sunrise the night before, that's not bad. Except now she didn't know what to do with herself. It was a Sunday, so she had off from work, and she had no boyfriend to go out with, and she didn't want to talk to her friends, at least not yet. She needed to think about what had happened the day before, and early that morning, and she needed to do that alone. Her apartment was too nice, too perfect looking, and Rose wanted to be somewhere that was confusing and messed up as her thoughts were. Good thing she lived in NYC or she would have gone crazy.

Rose found herself wishing that she knew where Jack was. That thought reminded her she needed to go to the bank to get more money, for she had given what she had at the moment to Jack. Jack… did she still love him? Refusing to think about last year, for that would have made her feel old feelings, she recalled every time she had seen him. Twice. Both times, her body had started malfunctioning without her consent. Heart beating twice its normal pace, heat rushing through her body; it was all as it had been. Her heart knew, but her head didn't accept it. But going to him now would seem like she had left Dean for Jack and her conscience couldn't take that; it would bleed to death. No, she would wait. Besides that fact, she didn't even know where he was.

Rose found herself in the bank. She took out her money, and left, so preoccupied that she didn't notice anything. Yet someone noticed her.

"Rose! Rose DeWitt Bukator, is that really you?"

Rose turned to see Cal, the very man she had hoped never to see again. Compared to him, Dean was the man of her dreams.

"Rose, what are you doing here?"

"Mr. Hockley, I live here." Well, at least she knew what to expect from him; he hadn't changed.

"But I thought you were dead!"

"Well, I'm not. Now If you will kindly leave me alone, I have better things to do then stand chatting with old acquaintances."

"Acquaintances? Rose, you're my fiancé!"

"Not anymore. Since you presumed me dead, you could have found a new girl to torture. Now we are merely people who once knew each other, and happen to meet on the street. I no longer have any lasting connection to you, not even as a friend."

"Rose, you misunderstand me. Since you are not dead, this is not merely what you say it is. There is still a lasting connection between us! You are still engaged to me!"

"Funny, last night I was engaged to someone else."

"Just last night?"

"Excuse me, I haven't seen you in a year, you have no right to meddle into my affairs. I am no longer engaged to you. Have a good day. Goodbye." And she turned.

"Rose, you cannot simply walk away from me as if it's nothing!"

Rose was still walking away. "Yes I can!"

"Rose." He grabbed her arm. "Do think this is some kind of a game?"

"No, I see it as telling you to leave me alone. Good-_bye_, Mr. Hockley!"

Rose pulled her arm out of his grasp and walked away. She remembered something, and turned around. "Oh, and if you disturb me like that again, I think I may have to sue you for harassing me. I'm no longer under your thumb. Nor should I have been a year ago."

Rose could barely keep a smile off her face as she saw his dumbfounded expression mixed with anger. Oh yes, she was really in control of her life.

---

Rose walked along the many streets of the city, relishing in her triumph over Cal and collecting the rest of her thoughts. Walking briskly, she didn't pay much attention to her surroundings. Finally she sat down on a bench. Jack, seeming to come out of nowhere, sat next to her.

Rose started. How did he get there? Almost as a response to her question, he said, "I saw what you said to Cal. And I gotta tell ya… that has gotta be the greatest rejection I've ever seen in my entire life."

"And how much experience do you happen to have in that area?"

"Well, it was definitely better than what you said to me. But that may not be a bad thing; I may have started laughing in your face."

"Jack, rejection isn't funny."

"Yeah, but I would have been proud of you anyway."

"Proud? Proud that I wasn't doing what you wished?"

"Well, yeah. You're not giving in to pressure. You're your own person, and I love that about you. Before you couldn't stand up to that bastard at all. Now you're strolling around, telling him off for what he did to you last year and not even letting him get a word in. You should be proud of yourself, Rose. You've come a long way."

Rose let his words sink in. Then, without thinking, she stood. She couldn't sit anymore, not with him so close. He would see her face getting redder, hear her heart thudding out of whack.

Jack stood up as well. He looked right at her, straight into her turquoise eyes. After what seemed like years, he kissed her, and she, to his immense surprise, kissed him back.

--

Somewhat cliffie. Not really. Only one, maybe two if you're really nice, chapters left. Review and tell me what you think!

**Arnold**


	4. Forever is a Long Time

Hey! Sorry bout this taking so long, but I've needed to get ideas! I had this whole thing planned in my head, but I've changed it so much that I have to actually come up with the plot as I type. Sorry.

**Don't own it. If anyone has better disclaimers, tell me. Mine are getting boring.**

**--**

Had Ruth DeWitt Bukator seen her daughter in that moment, she either would have fainted or would have yelled about her daughter ruining the family name, kissing a 'gutter rat' in the middle of a crowded street. But Rose had never really cared what was proper; most of the people would see her ever again anyway, and those who do would like her enough not to mind. Hopefully. If not, she'd sever all acquaintance. At the moment, these were not the thoughts going through her head. She loved Jack, and that was really all she was thinking about at the moment.

When he finally pulled away, he stared at her in wonder. "What about Dean Calvert?"

They began to walk. "Before you knocked on my door, I was beginning to have doubts already. Then you came in, and once you'd left and I'd had more _blasted_ tie to think, I realized that I still loved you. Since I had no idea where you were, I was going to wait awhile and then look for you. I thought that among the millions of people in New York, I had a small chance of finding you."

Jack grinned. "You never give up, do you Rose?"

"I try to keep looking on the bright side of things. There's always a small chance."

His face darkened, not in anger, just sadness. "Not with me."

Her eyes focused sharper in his. Those endless blue depths that he could simply lose himself in, not caring if her found his way out or not. "What?"

"You didn't think there was the smallest chance of my survival."

Sadness filled those eyes. "I saw you sink! I let go of you! I practically killed you! Admit it, Jack, you didn't think you'd survive either."

"You're right, I didn't. I had accepted it to let you live. I'm not blaming you, Rose." They stopped walking. "Look at me Rose." He lifted her face up, so she had to abandon staring at the pavement. "It's just… Some things you just need to talk about, get out of the way. Things that need to be said. Only once, though." She nodded.

He put an arm around her shoulders. "So no mess-ups this time. You're not engaged, I'm not dead, and it's all-"

"You bitch!" came a shout from across the street. Both whirled to see a distraught Dean Calvert walking their way. Only Rose knew who he was, and she was too confused and, she would admit it, frightened to explain to Jack at the moment.

"Minx! You left me just to be with him!"

"Dean, no Dead, you don't-"

A slap made her stop talking. Wrong thing to do. Now that Jack knew what this was about, he wasn't disoriented. And now the man had hit Rose, something completely unacceptable. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" he yelled. "She has the right to live her own life!"

Meanwhile, Rose had and angry red cheek and was trying to get him to understand. "Dean, I didn't leave you for him, I-"

Again not allowed to finish. But this time the punch was directed at Jack, and Rose moved in front of it. Nose broken, the only noise she made was a gasp of pain when he hit her, then she went silent, clutching her nose and trying to reshape it so t wouldn't heal crooked. To get out of the inevitable fight, she just sank down, kneeling, and one person finally came to her senses and rushed over to see if she was all right.

Jack grew older, taller, more commanding. He wasn't about to sink to the same level as Dean, and start fist fighting; he had to uphold some kind of honor. He grabbed Dean by the shoulders. "Leave us alone. She made her own choice. By trying to kill us, you've shown you don't like that choice. Get used to it. You can't make her change. Now go!" Jack threw him away from himself, and finished, "And stay away from us!" Only once he was sure that Dean would not turn around did he crouch down next to Rose. The woman was handing her tissue after tissue to stem the flow of blood. "I guess it's stupid to ask if you're all right." Rose chuckled. "Can you walk?"

Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded. He helped her stand and they began the slow trek to Rose's apartment, Rose leaning on Jack, but Rose showing him the way. They made a slightly comical pair, awkwardly making their way through the crazy streets.

--

"There," Jack said, after making sure the bleeding had stopped. "Now it'll heal right, if you make sure it doesn't move."

She nodded and saluted. "Yes, sir!" He laughed. "You could be a doctor, you know. Your hands are so steady."

He took hers. "Years of holding a pencil to a sheet of paper and making it do my bidding. I prefer drawing to gushing blood anyway, thank you."

Giggling, she said, "Well, when you put it _that_ way…"

Crouching down in front of her, he looked right into her eyes. "I love you, Rose." It was said with such finality that Rose didn't think she would be able to respond. "Will you marry me?"

Rose's eyes widened. For a moment Jack was worried that she'd faint. Then in a voice that was almost a whisper, "Yes. A million times yes!" She threw her arms around his neck and held him close. Never would they be parted. Never. It was a long time, but neither of them really minded. They could spend an eternity in that embrace.

So do you like it? I've decided to end it here. Yay! One thing off my checklist! Score! Hope you enjoyed. Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed! Love y'all!

**-Arnold-**


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